No Teaching Degree Required

Idaho has had an extreme shortage of teachers for many, many years. Education is the most considerable portion of the budget that has to be funded every year by the legislature.

To teach in Idaho and the rest of the country, you have to be certified in education. Teachers go to college, and part of their curriculum is educational training. In the early nineties, President Bush passed a law that all teachers would have to give the National Teachers Exam. The president campaigned that it would raise the bar on the teaching profession. It was a boondoggle and a waste of time, in my opinion. I took the test and passed it. The test taught me nothing about inspiring kids.

The Idaho Legislature's solution to the teaching crisis is HB 221. The bill passed House 54-13, reports the Idaho Press. School districts would have the power to certify teachers instead of the state. A successful teacher will have to have a college degree, not have a disease, pass a criminal background check, and have a bachelor's degree.

Teacher's pay has been a thorny issue for several years in the Gem State. Education funding is a controversial issue at the local level as well as the state level. The state's growth has fueled annual levy and bond attempts that raise taxes at the city level. The Idaho Press reported that the legislators debated both sides of the issue.

Will this solve the teacher shortage? I don't think that it will. Lowering teaching requirements devalues the profession. Spending more money doesn't seem to solve the problem. What is the solution? Leadership is the answer. Governor Little has told us several times that pre-covid education was his top priority. With the virus fading, we'll see if the governor gets a chance to solve the teacher shortage crisis.